Pilcrow Symbol ¶ — Copy, Paste and Type the Paragraph Mark on Any Device
The pilcrow symbol ¶, also known as the paragraph mark or paragraph sign, is a typographical character that has been used for centuries to mark the beginning of a new paragraph. While it may not appear in everyday writing, it plays a vital role in editing, legal documents, and academic formatting. This guide covers everything you need to know about the pilcrow — from copying and pasting it to typing it on any device.
Copy the Pilcrow Symbol
Simply highlight and copy the pilcrow below:
¶
Paste it into any document, legal filing, editing note, or text field.
Unicode and Technical Details
The pilcrow has the following technical specifications:
- Unicode: U+00B6
- HTML Entity: ¶ or ¶
- CSS Content: "\\00B6"
- JavaScript: "\\u00B6"
- ASCII/Latin-1 Code: 182 (decimal)
The pilcrow is part of the Latin-1 Supplement block in Unicode and is widely supported across all modern devices, operating systems, and web browsers.
How to Type the Pilcrow on Windows
Typing the pilcrow on a Windows computer:
- Alt Code: Hold Alt and type 20 on the numeric keypad
- Character Map: Open Character Map from the Start menu, search for "pilcrow" or "paragraph," and copy it
- Microsoft Word: Press Ctrl + Shift + 8 to toggle paragraph marks visibility, or type 00B6 and press Alt + X
- Word Paragraph Button: Click the paragraph symbol button (¶) in the Home tab Paragraph group to show or hide formatting marks
How to Type the Pilcrow on Mac
On a Mac, use these methods:
- Keyboard Shortcut: Press Option + 7
- Character Viewer: Press Control + Command + Space, then search for "pilcrow" or "paragraph"
- Microsoft Word for Mac: Press Command + 8 to toggle paragraph marks, or use the paragraph button in the ribbon
How to Type the Pilcrow on iPhone and iPad
On iOS devices:
- Default Keyboard: Tap the 123 key, then tap the #+= key, and look for the ¶ symbol
- Copy from Web: Long-press any pilcrow symbol on a webpage and copy it
- Text Replacement: Set up a text replacement shortcut in Settings > General > Keyboard > Text Replacement (e.g., type "pp" to insert ¶)
How to Type the Pilcrow on Android
On Android devices:
- Gboard: Tap the ?123 key, then tap the =\< key to access more symbols, and find the ¶ symbol
- Copy from Web: Long-press the ¶ symbol on any website and copy it
- Personal Dictionary: Add ¶ to your personal dictionary with a shortcut in Settings > System > Languages > Personal Dictionary
History of the Pilcrow
The pilcrow has a rich history dating back to ancient Rome. Its name comes from the Greek word "paragraphos" (παραγράφος), meaning "written beside." The symbol evolved from the Latin word "capitulum" (meaning "little head" or "chapter"), which was abbreviated as "C" with a vertical stroke through it — eventually morphing into the familiar ¶ shape we know today.
In medieval manuscripts, scribes used the pilcrow to mark where a new section of text began. Before the invention of paragraph indentation, the pilcrow was the primary way to visually separate blocks of text. When printing was invented in the 15th century, the pilcrow was cast as a physical piece of type and included in early typefaces.
The symbol gradually fell out of common use in published text as paragraph indentation became the standard way to mark new paragraphs. However, it survived in editing, proofreading, and legal contexts, where it continues to serve as a precise way to reference specific paragraphs.
Uses of the Pilcrow Symbol
The pilcrow serves several important functions:
In Editing and Proofreading:
- Marks the beginning of a new paragraph in manuscript editing
- Used by editors to indicate where paragraph breaks should be inserted
- In Microsoft Word and other word processors, clicking the ¶ button reveals hidden formatting marks including spaces, tabs, and line breaks
- Proofreaders use it to request a new paragraph in marked-up text
In Legal Documents:
- Used to reference specific paragraphs in legal citations (e.g., "see ¶ 3.2 of the agreement")
- Laws and regulations are often divided into numbered paragraphs marked with ¶
- Legal briefs and court opinions use the pilcrow for paragraph numbering
- Contracts and formal agreements reference paragraphs using the ¶ symbol
In Web Development:
- Sometimes used as a CSS pseudo-element marker for paragraphs
- Can appear as a section anchor indicator on web pages
- Used in HTML to create visual paragraph separators
In Typography and Design:
- Used as a decorative element in graphic design
- Appears in publishing workflows to indicate paragraph breaks
- Some typefaces include stylized pilcrow designs as design features
Related Symbols
The pilcrow is part of a family of typographical reference marks:
- § (Section Sign): U+00A7 — used to reference sections in documents, similar to how ¶ references paragraphs
- † (Dagger): U+2020 — used as a footnote marker
- ‡ (Double Dagger): U+2021 — used as a third-order footnote marker
- * (Asterisk): U+002A — the most common footnote marker
The section sign (§) and pilcrow (¶) are often used together in legal and academic writing. The section sign references a section, while the pilcrow references a specific paragraph within that section.
Fun Facts About the Pilcrow
- The reverse pilcrow (⁋) also exists in Unicode and is sometimes called the "anticlockwise pilcrow"
- Before paragraph indentation was invented, every paragraph in a book began with a colored pilcrow drawn by hand
- The pilcrow is one of the oldest punctuation symbols still in use today, dating back over 2,000 years
- In HTML, the pilcrow entity is ¶ — one of the few named HTML entities
- The word "pilcrow" may derive from the Old French "pelagraphe" (paragraph), which itself comes from Greek
- In some medieval manuscripts, pilcrows were elaborately decorated in red or blue ink
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do I see pilcrow symbols in my Word document?
The pilcrow symbols appear because formatting marks are turned on. To hide them, click the ¶ button in the Home tab of Microsoft Word, or press Ctrl+Shift+8 (Windows) or Command+8 (Mac). These marks are non-printing — they will not appear in your printed document.
What is the difference between ¶ and §?
The pilcrow (¶) refers to a specific paragraph, while the section sign (§) refers to a section. They are both used in legal citations but reference different levels of document structure.
Is the pilcrow used in any programming languages?
The pilcrow is not commonly used in programming, but it can appear in documentation, comments, and markdown files as a visual separator or reference marker.